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What causes Anxiety in Teenagers

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, however if the Anxiety is ongoing and affects the persons quality of life then it's time to seek help. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions affecting all age groups from young children through to adults.​Anxiety can stem from many causes e.g. it can be inherited and/or learnt behaviour, it can be caused by traumatic events such as bullying, divorce, bereavement, sudden shock, perfectionism, criticism, insecure attachment to parents. Social media is now recognised as a significant contributor to teenage anxiety with the pressure to maintain a perfect image as well as competition for "likes" impacting self-worth and generating anxiety. Social Media platforms are designed to be addictive and create compulsive behaviours; Snapchat for example introduced "streaks" which had kids compulsively checking their phones to ensure they maintained successive interactions with friends and becoming anxious if their streaks were interrupted or disrupted in any way.

How common is Anxiety in Teenagers?

Recent research suggests that as many as 1 in 6 young people will experience an anxiety condition at some point in their lives, this means that up to 5 people in your class may be living with anxiety, whether that be OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), social anxiety, shyness, exam stress, worry or panic attacks to name just a few of the forms anxiety takes.

How can I help my child with Anxiety?

​Do not dismiss your child's fears as silly, listen to them. If you see your child becoming anxious, remain calm yourself, model calm behaviour and calming techniques such as slow deep breathing. When you notice your child overcoming any aspect of their anxiety recognise the achievement and praise them for it. Do not punish or criticise them for exhibiting anxious traits or behaviours as this will exacerbate it.It is important to check for any underlying physical cause of the Anxiety, which may sometimes be caused by things including but not exclusive to vitamin deficiency, poor diet, thyroid conditions. Check with your GP to eliminate these possible causes. Encourage quiet time and mindfulness. Smiling Minds have some great introductory mindfulness recordings for kids and teenagers. Anxiety has the mind racing into the future to check for potential dangers all the time, mindfulness teaches the mind to come back to the present and it enhances the ability to regulate emotions.

Seek Therapy. As a Hypnotherapist and Trained CounsellorI offer a holistic approach in therapy to help my clients. I combine talking therapy including CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) and Solution Focused Therapy with Hypnotherapy to help them resolve any unresolved emotions relating to events that may have initially triggered the anxiety. I also work with them to interrupt the physical symptoms of anxiety that cause their thoughts to race in search of a threat to explain why they're feeling that way. I teach skills that empower them to minimise any symptoms of anxiety that they may experience if triggered. There are many options available in terms of therapy, I believe Hypnotherapy is one of if not the best.

I've helped many teenagers overcome anxiety, whether it's when studying for their VCE, or in improving their attendance of school, overcoming triggers around school/social activities, recovering from the effects of bullying, dealing with their parents divorce, or improving their self-confidence and compassion in relation to their self-image and more.

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Melbourne Hypnotherapist Georgina Mitchell was born in Ireland, moving to Australia in 1989. Georgina Specialises in helping people with Anxiety Disorders and is an active member of the Melbourne Hypnotherapy Community. In Melbourne Hypnosis is being accepted as effective tool for anyone wanting to achieve a positive change in Mood, Behaviour and Habit.

Hypnotherapy Melbourne Reviews for Hypfocus

"Georgina has helped me overcome depression and anxiety so that I was able to finish my course and get a job. I've started going to the gym again which I had previously given up because I felt too self-conscious and couldn't stand being hot. It's really changed my life for the better, I can manage my thoughts and don't have the overwhelming feelings that used to see me spiraling downwards anymore. I've tried other therapies and this was my last resort, I can't recommend her highly enough"

Disclaimer: As with all therapies Hypnotherapy results vary from person to person. This website is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. The reader should consult their GP for medical advice and for any symptoms that may require medical intervention. The content on this website is for the information of people considering Hypnotherapy at Hypfocus.

Hypfocus Practitioner Georgina Mitchell Is A Member of the HCA

Hypfocus is not a Crisis service. If you need urgent assistance please call Lifeline on 131114 or visit the lifeline chatline here

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